Category: Eating

Flourless Paleo Pancakes [Recipes]

/ Gary Hilson

I love pancakes, and for a while I’ve been trying to find a Paleo, flourless option that doesn’t fall apart.

After trial and error, I’ve found one that works, based on a recipe I found.

Ingredients:

6 large eggs
3 bananas
1/3 cup of Almond Flour or Arrow Root Starch
Coconut oil (for greasing the frying pan)

Blend eggs, bananas and flour / starch.

Pour mixture in small circles on frying pan coated with coconut oil at medium-high heat.

Cook 3-5 minutes on first side and then flip for a minute. Arrow root starch pancakes are thinner and will cook faster than almond flour pancakes.

This will make a lot of pancakes. I usually reduce the recipe by a third for a hearty weekend brunch: 2 eggs, 1 banana, 2 TBSP of flour / starch.

Almond flour will make slightly thicker pancakes but it’s double the price and double the calories. The original recipe I found called for coconut flour but I didn’t have it.

The bananas and the coconut oil from the pan give the pancakes a sweet flavor even without maple syrup.

Honey Garlic Slow Cooker Ribs [Recipe]

/ Gary Hilson

I was initially wary of this recipe because it said to place the ribs up against the wall of the slow cooker, and I thought that would lead to the sauce not sticking to the meat well enough.

I was wrong. These are the best ribs I’ve ever made in a slow cooker. I cooked mine for four hours on high and occasionally spooned the sauce over the ribs.

Servings: 3–4

Ingredients:

1 (2½–3 lb) rack of pork ribs, halved
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 cup honey
½ cup soy sauce
10 cloves garlic, minced

Preparation

1. Season ribs evenly with salt, pepper, paprika, and chili powder. Rub in on all sides.
2. Add honey, soy sauce, and garlic to a large slow cooker.
3. Transfer the ribs to slow cooker and turn them over in sauce until coated. Position the ribs so they are standing up, with the meatier side down, and so the meat side is against the walls of the slow cooker, with the bone sides facing in.
4. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 7 – 8 hours. Check after the allotted time, you want to make sure the meat is cooked through and tender.
5. Remove the ribs and transfer to cutting board.
6. Cut between the bones to separate into individual ribs.
7. Serve with additional sauce from the slow cooker, as needed.

Honey Balsamic Chicken Breasts [Recipes]

/ Gary Hilson

I’m a big fan of spice rubs for meat and fish, even when I’m not fully embracing the Paleo Diet, as it allows me to reduce calories and the amount of processed food I eat.

I recently came across this recipe for marinated chicken that I thought would make a nice change. It turned out well. I only cooked the chicken for 30 minutes; any longer and I think it would have dried out. Also, I think setting aside a little marinade may be a good idea as I anticipate the leftovers may be a little dry. Finally, I substituted cherry tomatoes with grape tomatoes and the green beans with asparagus that I wanted to finish up.

Ingredients

For the marinade:
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
6 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
¾ teaspoon dried rosemary
½ teaspoon red chili flakes
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

2 pounds chicken breasts (4 each), trimmed
1­½ pounds baby red potatoes, quartered
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 pound green beans, trimmed

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).

In a medium bowl, combine the balsamic vinegar, honey, a tablespoon of olive oil, garlic, thyme, rosemary, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Stir well to mix.

Place the chicken breasts in a resealable plastic bag and pour the marinade over the top. Seal and toss the chicken to evenly coat. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.

While the chicken marinates, place the potatoes and cherry tomatoes on a sheet pan. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and stir to coat. Bake for 25 minutes.

Remove the sheet pan from the oven and toss the green beans with the potatoes and tomatoes.

Remove the marinated chicken breasts from the plastic bag, reserving the remaining marinade in the bag. Place the marinated chicken, evenly spaced, on top of the vegetables. Pour the marinade from the bag over the top of the chicken and vegetables.

Return the sheet pan to the oven. Bake for 30 to ­40 minutes, periodically basting the chicken breasts with the pan juices, until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius).

Allow the chicken to rest for 5 to ­10 minutes. Spoon the pan juices over the top of each chicken breast before serving.

Recipe: Paleo Egg Muffins

/ Gary Hilson

Paleo Egg MuffinsCall them what you will – egg muffins or mini frittata cups – this is a fun way to eat your eggs, and on Paleo, I eat a lot of eggs, usually scrambled or as omelettes, since over easy and poached aren’t as fun without toast for dipping.

Spray a muffin tray with non-stick spray. I use olive oil. Be generous or you’ll have trouble getting them out.

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Recipe: Paleo Pancakes

/ Gary Hilson

Paleo Pancakes with Berries and BaconI love pancakes. When I was a kid my parents used to take me to a restaurant in Billings Bridge Mall in Ottawa for pancakes as a treat.

However, on the Paleo Diet, pancakes and pastries are a no no, and I often miss having something sweet with my morning coffee. (I eat a lot of eggs).

There’s a tasty alternative, though, for making pancakes in a Paleo-friendly manner, and a number of different recipes floating around the Internet, but I found this simple approach made for a delicious result.

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Paleo Slow Cooker Roast Chicken [Recipes]

/ Gary Hilson

Paleo Slow Cooker Roast ChickenHaving embarked on the Paleo Diet a second time, roast chicken is perfect for creating multiple meals. The only problem: I don’t have a roast pan, and even if I did, it would have to be a small one because I have a small oven in my apartment.

I do have a large slow cooker, however, and roast chicken in a slow cooker is easy and the meat falls off the bones. Cooking time varies depending on your slow cooker. An average-size chicken was done in four hours on high by mine.

You need:

1 Whole chicken
1 Sliced onion

For the spice rub:

1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground pepper

Paleo Slow Cooker Roast ChickenYou can also throw in vegetables as you would when roasting a chicken in the oven. I threw in a few servings of carrots but eschewed the potatoes as they are not Paleo-friendly. Instead, I used sweet potatoes.

Rinse chicken under cold water and pat dry. Mix together all ingredients for spice rub. Rub the spices on the outside and inside of the chicken.  Stuff cavity with sliced onion. I cooked mine on high for four hours; the original recipe I came across suggests cooking on low 5-7 hours. Either way, make sure the chicken is cooked through. You can try removing chicken and sitting it on a serving platter, but it’s a challenge taking it out without the chicken falling apart.

4-6 servings depending on your appetite. 🙂

Tomato Ham and Pasta Dinner for One [Recipe]

/ Gary Hilson

I used to make this a lot but forgot about it. Quick and easy, from Anne Lindsay’s Lighthearted Everyday Cooking, and  you can use any pasta you like.

1 C Farfalle (bow tie shaped pasta)
1C broccoli florets
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 small tomato, coarsely chopped
1 clove of garlic minced
1 Tbsp. fresh basil or ¼ tsp dried
1 thin slice of ham cut in strips (julienne)
1 Tbsp Parmesan Reggiano
Salt
Pepper

Cook pasta and broccoli

Saute tomato, garlic, basil, and ham for about 2 minutes

Pour over the pasta and broccoli.

Mix well and serve with crusty bread

Calories per serving: 386

Handy Dandy Chicken

/ Gary Hilson

I make this casserole a lot. It’s similar to one my mom made when I was a kid. You can use any cut of chicken you like, as long as you stick to the recommended weight in the recipe. I use skinless, boneless chicken thighs which makes it easy to split the servings and freeze leftovers.

2 cups instant white rice
10 oz can of mushroom stems and pieces
10 oz can of cream of mushroom soup
10 oz can of cream of chicken soup
3/4 cup of apple juice
1 1/4 oz envelope of vegetable soup mix
3 lbs (1.4 kg) of bone-in chicken parts, skinless

Combine first six ingredients in large bowl. Spread in ungreased 9×13 inch pan. Arrange chicken, meaty-side up, on rice mixture. Cover with greased foil. Bake 350 degrees F for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until chicken is no longer pink inside.

Serves 6.

Recipe pulled from Company’s Coming: Most Loved Casseroles by Jean Pare.